A big empowerment programme has come the way of contractors who have proven their mettle in service delivery. Akwa Ibom State Government has developed a procurement portal to register contractors and vendors seeking to bid and execute government contracts. The Commissioner for Science and Digital Economy, Dr. Frank Ekpenyong disclosed this on Thursday, during a press briefing at Government House, Uyo.
The portal which is going to be managed by the State Finance and General Purpose (FGPC) and Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) would scrutinize the registered companies to ensure that they have a history of efficient service delivery. Dr. Ekpenyong explained that the track record of companies would determine the type of contract it can bid.
The Commissioner further explained that the new portal keys into the ARISE Agenda of Governor Umo Eno that is set to empower every strata of the society, pointing out that non-indigenes who exercise their franchise in the state are free to register and bid for contracts. He further hinted that Akwa Ibom electronic Identity platform (AKeID) is underway.
The Commissioner explained that more qualified contractors would be needed to deliver projects and services to the people on schedule.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Umanah said the development is backed by the enabling law to ensure that Governor who has delivered 400 projects in just 20 months, fast-tracks dividends to trickle down to the ordinary people.
